Eligible parents will get up to 30 weeks of government-paid parental leave in their child’s first year
Parents in Singapore with babies born on or after April 1, 2026 will soon receive more time at home with their newborns, as the government expands the shared parental leave scheme from six weeks to 10 weeks. The change is part of the second phase of a policy first announced at the 2024 National Day Rally.
Shared parental leave rises from 6 to 10 weeks
The Ministry of Social and Family Development said eligible working parents can receive 10 weeks of shared parental leave on top of their existing leave entitlements. This is an increase from the six-week version of the scheme that began in 2025. The expanded entitlement applies to parents with Singaporean children born on or after April 1, 2026. Official government leave guidance also says eligibility may extend to certain babies born before April 1 if their estimated date of delivery was on or after that date.
Total government-paid parental leave will reach 30 weeks
Together with government-paid maternity and paternity leave, eligible parents can receive up to 30 weeks of government-paid parental leave during the child’s first year. That gives families significantly more time to share caregiving in the early months after birth. The leave expansion is part of Singapore’s broader effort to support parenthood and encourage stronger family involvement in infant care. The measure was first unveiled during the 2024 National Day Rally and is now entering its second implementation phase.
Leave will be split equally by default
MSF said the 10 weeks of shared parental leave will be automatically split equally between both parents. That means the default arrangement is five weeks each, unless the parents mutually agree to a different allocation. Parents are encouraged to inform their employers early if they want to adjust the split. The ministry said this is meant to help employers plan work arrangements more smoothly and to give families more flexibility based on caregiving needs.
The leave must be used within the child’s first year
The shared parental leave must be taken within 12 months of the child’s birth and only after parents have fully used their government-paid maternity or paternity leave. If parents cannot agree on how to divide the leave, MSF said it may be taken in a continuous block within the first 26 weeks, with at least four weeks’ notice to employers. Government guidance on Singapore’s parental leave system also states that the 10-week scheme applies from April 1, 2026, replacing the earlier six-week entitlement for newer eligible births.
Why the change matters
The increase matters because it gives both parents more room to share caregiving instead of placing most early childcare responsibilities on one parent. Analysts and workplace commentators have previously noted that longer shared leave can make caregiving more balanced and meaningful, especially in the child’s first year. For Singaporean families, the practical effect is more time to adjust to parenthood, support recovery and bonding, and plan work around infant care. For employers, it also means preparing for a more structured and substantial shared leave arrangement from April onward.
Singapore’s move to raise shared parental leave to 10 weeks marks a significant expansion of family support policy. More importantly, it signals that the government wants both parents to play a larger caregiving role from the start. For families expecting babies from April 1, 2026, the change will mean more time, more flexibility, and a stronger foundation for shared parenting in the child’s first year.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , Human Resource Online (2026)
Keywords: Singapore shared parental leave, MSF parental leave 2026, 10 weeks shared leave, April 1 2026 parental leave, government paid parental leave Singapore, working parents Singapore
